


Little Assassin Turned Hero

by oceaneyesinla



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 13:34:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6706396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceaneyesinla/pseuds/oceaneyesinla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha isn't the only assassin Clint brought into SHIELD. She was just the first. This follows the second stray that Clint saw something in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Assassin Turned Hero

**Author's Note:**

> This OC wouldn't leave me alone after I saw Civil War and I had to write her. This will hopefully cover from when she was first brought in up to Civil War and probably after.

The girl rolled as she landed, letting her momentum pull her to her feet and setting off at a run. Once again, her past was following her and she needed to disappear – fast. The last time she faced up against the group chasing her, the death toll had hit 100 before she even left the country. She couldn’t bring herself to check again once she arrived at her next hideout. If these men weren’t in range of her, they couldn’t fire at her. That meant no civilians in the crossfire. More deaths on her conscience was the last thing she needed.  


The speed at which they had mobilised a team to catch her had surprised her and ruined the plans she had made months before. Underestimating their desire to possess her was a mistake she wouldn’t make again. The abilities they had given her made her valuable. Plus, the longer she was out of their hands, the more likely it was that she would tell someone about their operation.  


She jumped down from the roof, barely flinching as she hit the floor. Getting up, she scanned the minds of the people around her, fitting that information with the map she had memorised earlier in the local library. The closest place to lose a tail was the mall and she set off towards it, forcing herself to keep her speed to a brisk walk. Blending in with the crowd was her best chance of surviving. In her current outfit, she could pass for a normal teenager going about her business. No matter that she was anything but.  


A familiar thought pattern came into range of her and she ducked her head, pulling her cap a little further down. There were probably better ways to hide her face but she couldn’t deal with putting anything constricting over her mouth and nose. It was too soon.  


Quickly, the man attached to the mind came into view and the girl turned away, mapping out a route away from them. Fear flooded her as she recognised a second, third, fourth pattern coming closer and forming a ring around her. She was trapped with nothing but her switchblade and her gifts. Usually, she preferred to go into a fight wearing something more durable than a tatty hoodie and torn jeans.  


“Follow me.” Preoccupied as she was, she hadn’t noticed the mousey haired man approach. He was dressed the same as the people around them, but the way he held himself revealed his training. At her hesitation, he spoke again, “I’m guessing those guys aren’t here for a friendly chat. I can help you disappear.”  


He held out his hand; an offer. Go with him; a total stranger or face the trained mercenaries alone. In her injured state, going up against them had a pretty good chance of her ending up where she began. One enemy was better than four plus. As she took his hand, the man smiled.  
**************  


The building was old and falling apart a little, but she welcomed the warmth and moved further inside, reaching out to scan for other people. She froze when the second mind became clear and whirled round, gathering energy into her hands.  


“Woah, kid.” The man put his hands up, “No need for the colour show.”  


Creaking alerted the girl to the second person coming down the stairs and she turned, keeping both of them in her sights. The other person was a woman; red hair, green eyes, gun trained on her.  


“Clint, we had orders.”  


“I followed them, Nat. Stop anyone else getting hurt. Fury didn’t say how we had to do that.”  


The redhead rolled her eyes, “I think he was expecting you to not pull the same trick twice.”  


“She’s a kid, Nat.”  


The girl increased the size of the energy ball, anticipating a speedy exit. Someone had sent them to find her and there was only one group trying to catch her right now, “I’m standing right here. I won’t go back there. Ever.”  


“I don’t know who you’re running from but we don’t know ‘em.” Clint was the one to speak, keeping his hands in her view, “We work for an American organisation. We can help you.”  


“Help? Like you Americans ‘helped’ that scientist Banner? You hunted him like an animal for being different. I can take care of myself.”  


“That was the Army. Our agency is keeping them off his tracks right now. What else are you gonna do, kid? You need medical care, weapons, clothes.”  


The girl looked between the pair. The woman still had a gun on her but it was angled slightly down, like she was hesitating. If they had been trying to capture her, they would have ambushed her as soon as she entered the enclosed space. Slowly, she nodded, sinking to the floor and letting the energy dissipate. Running was getting old and Clint was right; she couldn’t carry on like this.  


“Nat, stand down and toss me the medkit.” Clint caught the box and pulled out various bits of equipment. The girl batted his hands away and made to patch herself up but was stopped by a stern look, “What do you think you’re doing, kid?”  


“Like I said, I can take care of myself. I was taught how to look after my own wounds a long time ago. And my name is not kid.”  


“What is it then?”  


She thought for a moment and came to a terrible realisation, “I … I don’t know. I don’t know my name. It was always asset, or child.”  


“No way am I calling a kid asset. I’ll think of something. I’m Clint and she is Natasha.”  


She let the man carry on in silence for a moment, momentarily stunned by the care he was taking. There was more than one reason she had learned to care for her own wounds. The doctors at the compound were always rough, sneering when she cried out and hitting her if she flinched away from their hands. Clint was nothing like that. He took his time, eyes flicking to her face often as if to check on her.  


“You were sent to kill me, weren’t you? Why help me?”  


“Every time you and these guys pop up in a new place, they attack first. You run. You’re only trying to get away from something. I wanted to hear your side of the story.”  


She sighed. He may not see her as so innocent when he heard what she’d done. Slowly, she began her tale, giving only the basics. Nobody would ever hear what truly went on in that compound. At least not yet, “They call themselves the Evering Research Group. It’s a front; they work for someone, I don’t know who. They induced mutations in my DNA, trying to reproduce the effects of the Super Soldier Serum. The energy manipulation was a side effect. The leader of the group … he used me as a personal assassin. So many people … too many.”  


“I had to escape. It took me months to plan and I managed but they realised I was gone too soon. They sent mercs after me.” She took a deep breath, rubbing a hand over her face, “You know the rest.”  


“You’re skilled. How long did they have you?” Natasha was the first to speak. Her voice was neutral but there was something in her eyes she couldn’t identify.  


“Since I was born. My parents work for them.”  


“We’re taking her back to SHIELD, Clint.”  


Clint looked to Natasha, concern and care in equal measures showing on his face, “I know, Nat.”  


To her, he said, “You can come work with us. SHIELD is the name of our agency. We can protect you, hide you.”  


“I’m a killer. Nothing more. What would your agency want with me?”  


“You’re much more than a killer. Come on, we need you.”  


He got up from his kneeling position next to her and again offered her his hand. A chance at a new life. They had given her no reason to doubt them thus far. Maybe she could become something better. Something she could be proud of.  


She took his hand.


End file.
